FOREVER DUSK An Alternative to Breaking Dawn
by Mylifewithedward
Summary: Bella realises she cannot marry Edward, Jacob Black arrives back in town with a mysterious new friend and the Volturi keep their promise, resulting in a battle that will change everything...


**Forever Dusk** - An Alternative to Breaking Dawn

_I had imagined death a thousand times, but I hadn't prepared myself for this, to see his beautiful face ravaged with pain as I slipped away, I was not prepared for that pain which overtook the physical and screamed through my body searing me with anguish. I heard him roar my name, Bella, but I slipped away anyway ... into a darkness which I recognized as Death._

I had said it out loud. The words came easily, they just slipped out of my open mouth and into the air around me.

"I can't marry you tomorrow, Edward"

All the reasons why flowed after that first sentence, and assaulted my true love like a battering ram. His beautiful forehead furrowed further with each sentence, his serene composure breaking into shards of pain. He had come into the room so excited, almost dancing with each stride. Proud as punch, he had handed me a long velvet box and said cheerfully, "Something blue!".

I had opened the box and stared at the choker long and hard, each sapphire cut to capture the light and encased in platinum, intricately woven into the most romantic swirls and flowers.

My hand snapped the box shut, I looked up at my beloved and I said, "I can't marry you tomorrow Edward." I shocked even myself with that declaration, suddenly realizing that this was so wrong. My soul needed to just take a long breath and a long think.

I wanted to be with Edward for all time, that had not changed, but over the last few days, seeing Charlie accept the marriage, making that sacrifice for me, because I threatened to run away, had hurt me more than Edward could have known. I could not reconcile myself with hurting him in the worst way, by dying. The plan could not go ahead, I loved my father too much. Loving Edward would mean that I would become like him, immortal, undead, a vampire. However my love for my father meant that would have to wait a while longer.

It was hypocrisy, I knew that, Edward was the one who had wanted to delay my change. He had tried everything to put me off becoming a vampire. I had to admit, it was a combination of lust and my need for proof of his love, that had made me force his hand. I had survived losing Edward once, I would not survive it again and somewhere agreeing to marry him seemed to prevent that possibility. That, I admitted to myself sadly, was also a lot behind my desire to hasten my immortality. If I was no longer vulnerable, he would not feel the guilt that had forced him to leave before.

Edward had agreed to change me, and to consummate our love, but only if I would marry him. In his eyes, he wanted to give himself the best possible run in his strange life, and not exasperate any God who may eventually judge him. So I had agreed, terrified that another day would change his mind, the thoughts of losing him creating a fear that over rode any other emotion, even my usually strong sense of right and wrong, and my compassion.

We sat for a long time. Then he lifted his eyes to mine, those perfect pools of honey, and we looked at each others faces for a long time. His eyes flitted about my features, from my eyes to my cheekbones, along the line of my jaw, to my mouth. He leaned in and kissed me, a calm gentle kiss. I heard a whispered moan escape him.

Then he spoke, "Bella..."

With that one word, my name, I knew he said a thousand things. I knew he accepted what I had said. I knew he would not leave me, or scold me. He was my soul mate and so he would take my explanations and make them work for him.

"I want you so much Edward" I gushed, "Its just Charlie, I can't ruin his life, he doesn't deserve it"

He nodded slowly.

I continued, "Think about it, the worst possible scenario is losing your child, isn't it? That is what parents dread the most, and here am I setting Charlie and Renee up to have that happen, not even for real, but I'm letting them think that happened and letting them suffer, all so I can live forever with you..."

He looked up at me, "You don't want to change?" He seemed hopeful.

"No no,"I brought him back to earth,"I want to be immortal, Edward, I will be immortal, but I have been so selfish, so quick to think about myself, this whole time, but the other night, seeing Charlies face when I threatened to leave unless he agreed to the marriage, it just hurt me so much. He was cornered. I should have told you then, but I wanted you to be happy so much, and its only now I had the... I dunno, the ... whatever it is you need to do the right thing."

"The bravery, the strength" Edward took my hand, his cold porcelain fingers sweeping over my engagement ring, "Bella, this is fine by me, my one love, its what I wanted from the start"

"The Volturi?" I was fearful then, knowing that my days were numbered as far as the Volturi were concerned.

"Don't worry Bella," Edward shook his head, "they don't see time as you do, even as I do, they live in a vampire world, so a day is like a second and time passing means little. They will check on you, but it will not be soon"

"Okay" I believed him.

A sudden ray of sunshine threw itself across the room and Edward's skin glittered. He got down on his knee, as he had before, and looked up at me with such love that my heart felt it would burst, "Bella Swan?" he said dramatically.

"Yes, Edward?"

"Will you NOT marry me?"

"I will NOT" I said, and whooped with joy as he flicked me over his shoulder and jumped from the room down into the hallway in less than one-second. Just in time to hear a wail from the kitchen as Alice's beautiful vision of our perfect wedding, which she had spared no cost to prepare, stuttered and dissolved in her minds eye.

She marched out, "I can't believe this!" She wagged her finger at Edward and I, "You have to get married tomorrow!"

The rest of the family came into view, Carlisle looked concerned, "You're calling off the wedding?" He looked at me, "Is everything okay Bella?"

"I'm fine" I nodded, "We just feel that we need, well Charlie needs, a bit more time, before I leave. We need authenticity, for his sake, and my mothers sake"

Edward continued, "To lose an only child, Carlisle..."

Esme smiled widely, "Oh I think you are both doing the right thing" She came forward to embrace us, "I had worried for Charlie and Renee, both such kind people, they would be so lost without you Bella"

"We are getting married though" I stressed, "maybe secretly, maybe a way off, but we will marry of course, we just need to do this the right way"

Alice tutted sulkily as she flounced off, with Jasper following her. I detected a hint of an amused smile on his lips and he looked back and winked at Edward. Edward laughed, "I don't need to know that Jasper!" he called after him. "He likes her when she is angry" he whispered in my ear, and I suppressed a laugh.

Later, after I had eaten and the Cullens had watched me do so, myself and Edward excused ourselves from their company and headed upstairs to his room.

I sat on the floor.

He stood, which was not unusual for Edward, Vampires didn't need to rest like humans did, and standing was as easy as sitting for them. When he was comfortable, and no humans were around bar me, Edward would relax and therefore stand like a statue. I stretched across the floor and linked my arms around his legs, "Edward" I said gently, "Thank you...you are amazing"

He hunkered down to my level, "No Bella," He said cupping my face in his hands, "you are!"

I shook the compliment away. He leaned in and kissed me, his familiar marble lips anxious for mine, his hands taking mine and placing them around his neck, his hair falling to caress my cheek like a butterfly. He lifted me to standing, and as if I weighed nothing, Edward began to waltz me around the floor, humming such a beautiful melody into my ear as he did. I relaxed into his arms, placed my head against his shoulder and let his song take me away.

***********************

Chapter Two - Promises

He woke me by a gentle tug of my hair.

"Edwa-a-ard..." I moaned, "I'm sleeping" I turned over so my back was to him.

He shook my shoulder, "Wake up... Bella its important"

I turned around startled, "What? Edward What?"

He smiled sheepishly, "I'm bored"

I moaned theatrically and sat up, "Edward, I am a human, I nee-ee-eed my 8 hours, I can't be concerned with whether you are bored waiting for me to wake up, you just need to bear it"

He pouted. I laughed and rolled my body into his, snuffling into his chest like an animal, the scent of him highly erotic in the dim light of the dawn.

He sprang to standing on the bed, jumping lightly as he could, which rocked me like a small boat in a Typhoon even so. "Bella!" He shouted, "I've been lying here all night thinking how amazing it is that we are NOT getting married, how perfect your decision is, how right you are, how amazing you are"

I reached out my hand to pull him back to me on the bed but with his strength I ended up standing. He didn't notice in time, and his last jump sent me flying across the room landing sprawled on the ottoman.

His eyes widened and he was with me in a second, "Have I hurt you? I'm such an idiot" he admonished himself.

"No you lunatic" I stood gingerly, then with more confidence, "I'm fine"

I looked at him sternly, his eyes were still wide, and then I burst out laughing, "Oh thank GOD!" I shouted.

"Huh?" He looked confused

"Thank God for You!" I shouted, "Edward you have made everything, even being thrown across a room, wonderful, every moment is just perfect!"

He swept me up into his strong arms and kissed me all over my face. I kissed him back eagerly, the heat in my rising, my cheeks blushing and my heartbeat soaring. I felt his hands change course, moving naturally instead of the usual restraint. He lay me onto his bed again, and leaned over me. I looked at him, with a half smile on his lips like that he'd better mean business. I raised my eyebrows, You keep going like this Mister and it'll be me biting you..."

"Bite away" He offered his arm, but a mouth full of broken teeth did not appeal so I declined.

"Edward, let's do it...come on I'm going insane"

He shook his head and stood back, "Bella, We can't...there is no way it would work out for us, think about it, please logically for a minute, think about the logistics of everything and the workings of things, and how I feel to you....you know...think about it"

"But we'd be married by now" I said, referring to the broken plans of two days ago.

"True" He acknowledged, "but Bella, I wasn't planning to make love with you until after the change...until you were more...resistant..."

I dropped my head into my hands and gave a muffled scream.

"This is IMPOSSIBLE" I said, raising my head, "Edward I can't wait! I am going to die of lust, won't you even try?"

"Bella, don't be difficult" He said.

"Difficult?" I was indignant, "How on earth can you call me difficult? I am the opposite of difficult Edward"

The words hung in the air for a minute and then both of us burst out laughing.

"Was that our first fight?" He asked me, his crooked smile playing on his lips.

I blushed and ran to him, "I'm sorry" I said.

"Bella, Bella," He shushed, "if I was annoyed about you wanting to take things further, then I'd be some odd fellow, it is so hard for me to turn you away, I would rather take on a werewolf than reject you, than hurt you...but I must, for your own protection, I couldn't trust myself..."

I couldn't help the tears then, they just came. I smothered myself in his chest, hoping he wouldn't realise. Staying like that for a minute, I composed myself.

"Okay" I said, "Okay... I'll wait"

I was sick of being a virgin, knowing I would spend all eternity with Edward seemed no reward for staying that way. I also was afraid that when I changed I wouldn't feel, my body wouldn't respond the way it did now. I wanted to experience human passion at its most. With Edward.

But I would give in, for now.

******************************

Chapter 3 - Voice

_Four months later_

When the phone in my pocket began to buzz, I ignored it. I was waiting patiently for Alice to come out of the changing room, doing everything I could to make up for canceling the wedding of the century, and so found myself in Gucci, patiently waiting to tell her how fabulous her tenth outfit was. She didn't need me here, and we both knew it, Alice never tried anything on, being the perfect size 4 and looking stunning in anything she wore. She was punishing me, we both knew it, and I was happy to be put through my paces. The last few months had been a roller-coaster, Charlie couldn't hide his relief when we announced the wedding off, and Renee may have joked about keeping the receipt for her outfit but she too sounded relieved. We had gone down to see them, both in Charlies, and explained that we had realised it was a mistake to rush, that we were just staying engaged now, until both of us were sure of the direction we were taking and that it was the same one. They both shook Edward's hand and hummed and hawed about being disappointed to have to wait to call him 'Son' but we both heard a collective whoop of joy from them as we left.

Finally Alice emerged from the changing room, wearing a pale grey chiffon skirt, that swayed off her tiny hips to the knee, and a wine wrap top which set off her pale skin perfectly, her tiny feet were encased in silver sandals that wrapped around her foot and up her shin like a ballerinas pumps.

"Wow!" I said truthfully, "That is so gorgeous, you look great"

She waved my compliment away, but I saw her smirk. She turned, her pixie eyes glinting mischievously.

"Okay Bella!" She said, "I can't punish you anymore, I miss you too much, I need my girlfriend back!" She cuddled into me with her tiny icy frame. Not used to such tactility I almost patted her on the head, but caught myself in time and touched her shoulder instead.

"Thank you Alice" I said, "I don't deserve it."

She smiled.

We drove back in no time, the yellow Porsche passing other cars as if they were all stationary. I had enjoyed the few hours with Alice but I was eager to see Edward, we had planned to go for dinner, ordering small so I could eat his too, and chat about our future and what we could plan to save heart ache for everyone. As we drove, I checked my phone, one voicemail but with the roar of the engine I replaced the phone in my pocket, resolving to listen to it later. It was most likely Angela, I thought.

He was waiting when we got to the drive, standing smiling in the rain, and without a blink he swooped me up to his bedroom and we sat on the long couch by the window, looking out into the green wet forest.

We lay there for a while, and then Edward suggested I get changed for dinner. I thought about doing that right in front of him, momentarily hoping I'd lure him into bed, but then I thought better of it, I didn't want my first time with him to be something he'd regret even in the smallest way. I could see his point, if the truth be known it had crossed my mind a few times that sleeping with Edward wouldn't be...easy...in fact it could be down right difficult. His skin was so cold, and had little resistance, but my love for him always won out in that argument. _I didn't care_, I wouldn't care if I was bruised and broken, it would be worth it to _show_ Edward my love. Telling him just didn't seem enough.

However I also knew that should he hurt me, even a small bit, he would be so tortured I wouldn't be able to bear it. So I decided for now to agree with his wishes and hold myself together.

I went into the other room, and changed into the new jeans and top I'd procured in town with Alice. Midway, I remembered the voicemail, and quickly dialed the number throwing the phone onto the chair, loudspeaker on. I had one leg in my jeans and was just placing my foot into the second leg when I heard Jacob's voice. Being me, I promptly hopped forward in panic and then I fell over. I grabbed the phone and pressed 5 to replay the message.

My heart thudding nearly drowned out his husky voice. I imagined him standing at the telephone machine. Was he disappointed when I didn't answer?

"Uh.. Bella, its Jake. I'm calling just to...uh...sorry its 4-ish, I don't have a watch obviously, but I think its 4 or so...uh Bella I'm just calling to say I'm sorry for not making the wedding, hope that all went well and all, and you know... I'm away now, but uh I think I'll be coming home soon-ish, so I didn't want to...well I hoped to maybe catch up...you know all the other stuff, well I'm sure you'll be glad to hear I'm kinda over it... Uh this has been so hard for everyone, I never wanted to put Edward on the line the way I did, he is a good guy, I know I wouldn't have been so good about...everything...I wasn't thinking straight and now I can see how silly it all was, a crush... Anyways I just wanted to call you and warn you that you may not have got rid of me so soon, I'm sure we'll run into each other anyway, I hope we do cos I miss you...Okay well thats all...Bella, okay um...Bye..."

I listened for ages after the message had ended. Working it all out in my head. That was Jacob, he was coming home, my chest rose and fell but I didn't feel like I was breathing. He seemed fine, in good form even. He hadn't heard about the wedding, he thought we were married, maybe even that I was a vampire, and yet he still wanted to get in touch. It was all so positive, I felt elated and yet slightly disturbed. All the anguish I had felt for hurting Jacob, for choosing Edward, all that pain seemed slightly for nothing when he seemed so fine, so normal with me. I may have even felt slightly put out, that his love for me was so easily forgotten, with a few weeks away. I had torn myself in two, Jacob had pushed me to my limits of emotion, and now he was "kinda over it". I was irritated with the dismissive words he used, "Crush" - if I'd known that I would have hit him with a bat instead of my fist. All that trouble, for nothing.

I sorted myself out, clothes wise, and headed to the stairwell where Edward was leaning on the banister, looking perfect as usual in a pair of dark denim jeans and a dark grey jumper that fitted him perfectly, accentuating his broad shoulders. I couldn't resist him, he was divine.

We left and went to the same little place we'd technically had our first date. We ordered two small meals, of which I managed one and half, and discussed our plans.

"We could go abroad to college" I offered, pushing the rest of Edward's meal around the plate,"Tell them we were in Paris or London, and go to some remote cottage in Ireland or somewhere, I could go through everything there, on our own and stay there until I had the self control issue sorted. Then we could go to whatever university we had said we were going to, and just live there for a while before hitting Forks again"

"They'll notice when we don't age, Bella..."

"We could get in a car crash, and be really badly burnt and get some new technology plastic surgery to explain our continued freshness"

Edward looked impressed, "Could work! I mean Charlie and Renee probably only have another...maybe forty years, we could just bluff that until they...." he trailed off when he saw my face, "Oh sorry Bella, I was forgetting who _they_ are... but its a good idea, we should talk to Carlisle about that"

"We could go abroad, somewhere rainy, Ireland or Scotland, and use video call every now and again, take photos of ourselves and send them home etc, keep in touch while we're there, while I'm learning, adjusting..."

"Good idea too"

"We could say we were signing up for one of those volunteer programs, you know helping build schools in Africa or somewhere, you can't get home, or get to technology there, so it wouldn't be weird when we were not in touch for a couple of months"

Edward took my hand, "It will be fine, no matter what way this happens we won't let Charlie, and Renee, get hurt, don't worry about that"

"Thanks Edward," I smiled at him for a minute, then as casually as I could, "Jacob called today by the way"

I let him listen to the message himself, which he did twice, and then he sat back with a puzzled expression.

"Puppy love!" He said sarcastically, shaking his head, "I gave him more credit than he was due, cheeky pup nearly drove me to madness with his games, and now he just shakes it off like it was a game"

"Yeah" I said, probably more soulfully than I meant to, Edward was curious immediately.

"You're disappointed Bella?"

"No, you moron" I spoke truthfully, "I feel like you do, a whole show for nothing, we could have broken up over his games, no-one knew you would be so generous of heart, least of all me, and he let me risk losing my true love for some silly crush"

"He probably didn't realise it was a crush" Edward thought out loud, "he is young... I wonder..."

"What?" I pressed

"What has made him realise it was just a crush?"

I sat upright in my chair, "Do you...do you think Jacob...you think he has imprinted?"

"Maybe? Who can tell with that dog?"

I flinched, despite everything I didn't like when Edward was spiteful, "Edward...."

"Sorry, who can tell with that boy? I hope you're right though, get him off our backs anyway, silly pup"

************************************

Chapter 4 - Reunion

I saw him first. Driving my truck into town, and just as I passed the turn of for La Push, I spotted a familiar figure. Jacob.

He was loping down the road, his back to me, hair short and head down. I didn't honk the horn, or call out through my open window, yet he turned and looked me straight in the eyes. He raised one hand in hello, and then turned to continue his walk.

"Wooaaahh!" I shouted, swinging the truck down the road after him, "Not so fast Buddy"

He stopped walking when he realised I was following, and stood with his arms crossed waiting.

"What the...?" I demanded, jumping out of my truck a bit too quickly and losing a bit of balance only saving myself with the door, "What... Who do you think you are?"

"Huh?"

"You!" I raised my voice, "Coming back to town, all sorry Bella, all lets forget it Bella, all it was nothing Bella... Jeez Jake, you created a lot of fuss for something that wasn't all that serious..."

He wrinkled his nose at me, "See you don't smell any better"

"Jacob!"

"Aw Bella," He said, "what do you want me to say? I didn't lie to you...with all that stuff, but when I went away I got a little perspective, I got over it"

"You got over it..." I put my hands up in defeat, "Well PITY you didn't try doing that before you caused everyone so much pain, putting Edward in a difficult position, Jeez Jake you practically goaded him, and me? You tore me apart! Everyday you were gone I have felt guilty for hurting you....and now you come back as if it was a prank? You should be ashamed of yourself!"

He looked me up and down, "Still got spirit anyway Bella, or should I say still got _soul_?"

"Oh shut up!" I gasped, "I didn't get married for Charlies sake, but I am getting married, ASAP! Especially now I don't give a rats behind what happens to you anymore!"

Jake grinned at me, "Are you....annoyed? Bella? Are you annoyed that I'm over it?"

I wanted to slap his face, but favored my hand too much, "You are an idiot" I spat and got back into my truck. My attempt to drive away didn't gain much ground, and I realised Jacob was holding onto the back of the truck, grinning as I hit the gas sending dust spiraling into the air in vain.

"Let me go!" I roared over the engine.

He shouted back "I'm sorry Bella! I really am sorry! Come back I need to talk..." But I hammered on the accelerator and eventually he let go.

The truck took off at speed and it took me a second to gain control, "Dangerous pup!" I said quietly, thinking how lucky Jacob was that my boyfriend had not seen that.

Edward was waiting for me when I got home, I had disappeared from Alice's visions for a while, and he guessed that I had run into Jacob, "So how was Mowgli?" He said, his face somber.

"His usual irritating self" I mumbled, walking past Edward and into the house' "I'm going to have to get home soon, us not being married and all...back to normal!" I attempted a grin.

"Sure..." Edward said, "I'll come over later"

That remained without saying. Stating the obvious. I wouldn't sleep without Edward, memories of everything tended to flit through my head when I was alone at night, and since I knew now that my time with the Volturi was somewhat limited I really hated quiet alone time in the dark.

I left about twenty minutes later, letting myself into Charlies with my key, feeling even after only a couple of weeks that I hadn't been home in years. Homesickness, Charlie-sickness, overwhelmed me and tears sprang into my eyes.

"Dad?" I called.

"In here..." came the response and I heard strains of Late Night Football coming from the den.

I practically ran in, throwing myself into the crook of his arm, which made him blush but he tightened his arm around me anyway, "Everything okay?" he whispered into my hair.

"Jakes home." I said.

"Oh" Charlie took a swig of his beer.

"He is not only home," I continued, "but infuriating as ever, he seems to have bounced back more than anyone after all the trouble he caused for me and Edward"

"I thought there might've been a bit of a triangle there"

"Yeah there was" I wished I could speak freely, but Charlie was in the dark about many of the details concerning my suitors, and it was better that way, "He really pushed it, Dad. He could have ruined everything for me, and now he shrugs it off like it, like I meant nothing much after all"

"Well," Charlie seemed hesitant, "Billy was saying something..."

"Tell me!" I demanded

"Well, Bella, I don't want to hurt you, honey, but Billy said something about Jacob coming home soon, with...someone"

"I knew it!" I sat up and shook my head from side to side, "I told Jacob to leave me alone, swore to him he would find someone else and he went ahead and caused all the trouble anyway, even though he knew it too, deep down"

Charlie looked slightly confused at my conviction, "Yeah honey but no-one can really tell when or if they'll fall in love.... I think Jacob thought you were it, you know, the one"

"No, no, no..." I shook my head, "That's what is so frustrating, he knew I wasn't, but he went ahead and tried to destroy everything anyway..."

Charlie shrugged, "Oh I don't get you kids..." He took a swig of his beer and slumped back down in the couch, raising the volume on the game, my cue that the conversation was at its natural end and giving me permission to leave should I wish.

I did wish, knowing my love was upstairs in the dark. "Night Char..Dad" I said, kissing him on the cheek.

"Night Bells"

************************************

Chapter 5 - Bronte

We were playing baseball, thunder clapped overhead and Edward was midway round a sure home run. I screamed in excitement, he would make it surely, "Go Edward, GO!" I could barely see him, a blur of speed as he took fourth base like a gazelle.

Then out of nowhere, Emmett appeared, ball in hand, head down running across the tops of the trees surrounding the meadow. Rosalie squealed in excitement "You got him honey!" as Emmett swung down and landed in Edward's path. They collided like two boulders and the ground shook. I gasped, completely awe struck even after all this time.

Emmet reached out and gently bounced the ball of Edward's forehead, "Out" He grinned.

I jumped up and down, wrapped in Edward's coat, gloves and hat, "That was amazing!" Edward heard me and turned to smile, sending my heart down into my legs for a second and stopping my breath. He was divine. He was mine. Lucky, lucky me.

Carlisle was up to bat then, swinging the bat around his head at huge speed which made a whipping sound that split the heavens. Alice stared him down for a moment, then with her trademark pitch, she threw the ball. I couldn't even see it, then there was an almighty bang and suddenly Rosalie streaked past like a train, leaping from one foot high into the sky, coming back down to earth with a boom, ball in hand and a smirk on her face, "Way too easy Carlisle!" She winked at me, our relationship improving each day I stayed human, and tossed the ball to her creator who caught it deftly in an instant.

The storm seemed to quiet down then, clouds parted and a ray of sunshine lit up the meadow, sending my vampire family into dazzling glory. Edward turned to me, his glittering skin giving me palpitations, "Lets go, love"

We drove into town, and I rang Charlie on the way, "Anything you fancy for dinner?"

"Whatever you like Bells" He replied cheerily, "I'm easy"

"Okay Dad" I replied, "Edward is coming over, is that okay?"

There was a pause, "Sure"

"Okay, but he probably won't eat with us, I don't think I can hold him back from getting a burger now, he is famished" Edward grinned at my little lie, "Bye Dad"

Edward leaned across and inhaled my neck, "I am famished, actually" He said dramatically.

"Bite me Edward!" I laughed.

We parked at one end of town, enjoying the stroll up through the simple streets and shop windows. It was a walk of constant pauses, Forks being so small, it was impossible to pass by people we knew, so it was a "hello, hello, hello, hello" and the occasional stop to chat. We picked up some pasta and bread for my meal with Charlie, and were just heading home when I decided I was thirsty and coerced Edward into coming to the diner for a soda with me. I would have survived of course, but sometimes I hankered after normality, and at that moment going for a soda with my high school sweetheart seemed the perfect idea.

Squashing into the smallest booth with him was perfect, I sipped my cherry coke slowly, while soft strains of the duke-box swirled about us. Edward buried his face in my hair, and whispered sweet things into my ear, sending the good kind of shivers down my spine. I roared laughing when he emerged with a mouthful of my hair and crossed eyes, and I playfully slapped him encouraging him to hold my hands, asking to be kissed. To anyone observing we would just look like two lovesick teenagers, and for that moment that was perfection to me. No fear, no threat, just wonder and life in the palm of our hand.

Mid kiss, I felt someone sit down beside me and unlocked my lips and eyes from Edward to see Jacob sitting beside us, looking his usual mix of conceit and amusement. Edward rolled his eyes to heaven "She's sweet, Jacob" he observed, reading Jacob's thoughts, "Pity you couldn't have imprinted pre-bella isn't it? saved us all a lot of trouble"

"Oh shut up leech" Jacob sneered, but I could see he was embarrassed.

"So its true then" I asked, cocking my head.

Jacob looked at his hands for a bit. Edward snorted, pre-hearing Jacob's speech.

"Bella, I'm sorry, again, I have...you know...imprinted and I never really meant to dismiss what I felt for you...but its impossible now to even imagine that I felt anything for anyone else other than..."

Edward interrupted suddenly and a flash of amazement and amusement crossed his face, "Where is this... Bronte?"

Jacob frowned, "At the duke box"

I snapped my eyes across the room and took in the object of Jacob's, my Jacob's, affections.

She stood at the duke box, back to us, long white blonde hair to her waist, a pair of jeans tucked into knee high boots, a long waistcoat covering her diminutive body.

"She's tiny" I remarked.

Bronte turned around then and I gasped sharply when I saw her face. Pixie like and stunningly beautiful, I knew enough of them to recognize it, "Jacob!" I whispered in shock.

"I know, I know" He nodded, "I know what you're thinking... It is such a contradiction..."

Bronte walked toward us, smooth as gliding, there was no doubt in my mind and Edward's low rumble in his chest confirmed it. Vampire.

I took Jacob to one side, "Are you out of your mind?"

"Are you?"

"Thats different," I snapped, "Edward is different, you don't know this one, she could be... Jeez Jake, have you completely lost your marbles?"

"I can't choose who I imprint on Bella"

"But how?" I was so confused, "How could your kind love her kind...?"

"Its a long story" Jacob bowed his head, "Have you the time to hear it?"

"Of course!" I nodded, looking over my shoulder, Edward and Bronte were walking behind us, quietly having their conversation, probably along the same lines.

Jacob began, "When I met Bronte, she was human Bella. I imprinted and there was nothing I could do but follow her and guard her. She didn't seem to like me at first, and I was fine with that, you know, I knew I'd get to her eventually. So I just followed her around, kept my distance, but guarding her safety as much as I could.... Anyway, she lived in Ovington, and I ran the perimeter every night, keeping her safe and in the day I'd phase back and try to make an impression that might stick.

I got a job in the record shop she hung out in, and tried to get a date, but it was tough work. Eventually I did manage to persuade her to come out with me, but she was a stubborn little thing, wouldn't give in to my affections... reminded me of someone actually," he chuckled, "Anyway... that same night I dropped her off at her house, and just as I was driving away I got that..."his eyes darkened in pain "smell... I raced in to her house, smashed the door off the hinges you know just in time to see one of _them_ bite into her neck. Bella she was so frightened, just looking straight at me, her eyes begging for help, with that thing killing her, I don't know where the strength came from but I smashed him to pieces there and then. I just picked Bronte up and ran. Her mother had been gotten to first, and she has no other family so I just left with her. She was screaming with the pain, begging me to just kill her, and I knew what she was becoming, but I still couldn't do it... I couldn't kill Bronte...even though I knew she might kill me herself when all was done"

"But she didn't..."

"I kept her in the forest, I built a shelter and tried to help her, the pain was so much I could see into her soul through her eyes as they begged me to end it. I just sat there. Then one the third day, the screaming stopped and the soul was gone. I was devastated until I suddenly realised that although the soul had gone from her eyes, she was still Bronte. I still felt as I had before, and although her awakening from her state...was...difficult to say the least, I was so happy. She was_ alive_."

"Did she try to kill you?"

"Sort of..." Jacob grinned, "I'd learned a lot from hanging with your bloodsucker and the other leeches so it wasn't difficult to handle, and after a while she kind of came back to herself a bit, and weirdly, Bronte seemed just as stubborn in her new state than she had been in her last, it was like she refused to be a vampire, she refused to be like he who had killed her... She demanded something better for herself. We stole blood from the hospital, which appeased her thirst anyway, and then I knew that I needed to come home, I needed Bronte to meet Edward, and the Cullens, I was hoping..."

"They'd teach her?" Everything suddenly made sense, "You need a favor from the _bloodsuckers_?" I snorted a laugh.

Jacob shook his head, "It is a hard pill to swallow Bella, but I need his help"

I turned to look at Edward who now had Bronte by the hand, in a brotherly way, and I could see from his face he had heard everything. "No problem" He mouthed, and my heart swelled. He was so unselfish, from everything, even my worst days on earth when he had left me, he did that for me, and when I had kissed Jacob last summer, he put me first again. Now he was putting Jacob first, his rival, to see one of his own make it through.

We all got in my car, and headed for the Cullens, I rang Charlie to tell him something had come up and that he'd need to sort himself out for food. He guessed it was Jacob related and didn't allow any disappointed register in his voice, though I still knew it was there.

Bronte didn't speak much, she buried her head in Jacob's huge embrace and I guessed my smell was proving difficult to resist. Edward turned to her and said, "You won't Bronte, stop worrying" and I knew I was right. I did shiver a bit, wondering if Edward and Jacob would be able to stop her if she changed her mind.

Alice was waiting in the driveway for us when we arrived at the Cullens house, with a look of curiosity and excitement on her face.

"Well, well Jacob" She said playfully punching him in the arm, and skipping around him as fast as she could, "what _have_ you brought us?"

Bronte got out of the car, looking like a frightened rabbit, and Jacob instinctively picked her up carrying her like a child into the house ahead of us all.

*******************************

Chapter 6 - Gift

Carlisle had taken Bronte upstairs with Esme for a chat and a general check. Bronte went willingly, she seemed comforted by being surrounded by her kind but Jacob was furious when Carlisle told him to stay downstairs.

"Who does he think he is?" He huffed from the bottom of the stairs as he paced up and down.

"A doctor" I replied, "Jake get a grip, what do you think he is doing? Its important for Bronte to get what she needs, physically and mentally..." Though I didn't really know what Carlisle and Esme had to check out myself, Vampires were strong after all. I looked up quizzically at Edward, who said, "They need to find her gift, in case she doesn't realise how to source it and therefore hurts someone"

Alice was staring into space, "Puppies!" She shouted and then looked back at her feet, "Sorry! Emily, of La Push, has some news...she'll tell him later..."

Jacob stared at her for a minute, "This is a madhouse, I'm going for a run" and with that he phased, shaking his shaggy black fur, raising his hackles and leaving the house like a horse out of a gate. He had disappeared into the forest before I got his name out of my mouth.

"He is so touchy,' Alice said, looking up the stairs where all the doors were closed, "Three, two, one..." The door opened and Esme emerged, talking to herself under her breath, "Amazing, wonderful stuff..."

She was down the steps in a flash and looked surprised at Jacob's absence, Edward answered her minds question, "He had to let off some steam" He told her.

"I see" She said.

Then Edward shook his head in disbelief, "Really? She can do that? Brilliant"

I was curious, "What? What can she do?"

Edward smiled, "She can _spike_!"

"Spike?"

"Yeah its like what I do, only the opposite, a head game, amazing. Jacob said she was stubborn all right, seems to go hand in hand!"

"How do you mean the opposite of what you do?"

Edward pointed at his temple, "She can tell _you_ what _you _think...kind of similar to what Jasper does but more specific, Jasper can make you feel a certain way but spiking, well it is more precise, Bronte could influence what you choose to wear, for example, or what you think of _her._.."

Esme butted in, "She doesn't really realise she can so it yet, though so don't worry about being exposed, Carlisle will help her harness it, at the moment it is only really manifesting itself when she is frightened...and of course Bella, you won't be affected anyway, We discovered it when Carlisle needed to extract some of her venom and when she saw the diamond needle, well her human memory of pain made her tell him he didn't need to do it, he actually stopped in his tracks and couldn't make up his mind for a minute... It was very comical. We twigged it then, the battle in his head was coming from Bronte"

"That's scary!" I didn't like the sound of that at all.

"You won't be affected though Bella, love" Edward coaxed me to his side with his voice and cuddled me into his icy body. I shivered.

"Yeah but you might be..."

"No because I can see her thoughts and she will think before she does it..." He grinned.

"Oh of course!" That relaxed me a bit, my paranoia had ran wild for a minute, imagining Bronte convincing Edward he didn't love me anymore.

Jacob suddenly burst in, "Where is she?" He growled, having phased back only a second ago.

"She is fine" Esme calmed him, "A lovely girl, you were right to save her Jacob"

"I had to, I had no choice" He was gruff, "Is that husband of yours done?"

"Pretty much" Edward answered instead, hearing Carlisle's thoughts. "They are now, Bronte is happy Jacob, nothing to stress over, I'm amazed you don't trust us by now"

"Yeah well I don't" snapped Jacob but his face showed he didn't really mean that.

Carlisle led Bronte down the stairs then, and nodded at Jacob. "She'll be fine, we're happy to have her here Jacob"

"Thank you." Jacob said humbly, taking Bronte into a huge hug and kissing the top of her head. I noticed she wrinkled her nose a bit at his doggy scent, and I suppressed a chuckle.

Edward saw it too, "Bronte thinks you need cologne Jacob" He said.

Even Bronte giggled at that remark, her natural repulsion to werewolves being over ridden by her need for Jacob.

When Jacob was leaving I walked him out, "You've done the right thing Jacob" I said patting his enormous shoulder as he walked down the steps in front of me.

"Bella..." Jacob stopped and turned around, the different steps we were on allowing us to be face to face for once.

"Yes, Jake?"

"I didn't understand..." He squeezed the bridge of his nose, and I wondered was he on the verge of tears, "Before...you know with you and Edward, I didn't get it, but now...."

"It is possible to love a vampire" I put my hand on his heart, which raced along like I remembered, "Jacob I loved Edward, so I didn't, I don't care what differences we have, he is a good man and I love him. I loved him the same before I knew what he was, and I love him more now."

"I didn't understand" Jacob said, "but I do now, I'm sorry Bella" He phased then and with a last glance upwards to where Bronte stood in the balcony, he ran into the forest.

*********************************

Chapter 7 - Dream

I dreamt about Jacob and Bronte all night, of them in a forest where even the trees seemed against them, I dreamt of her writhing in pain and Jacob holding her down pleading with himself not to kill her. When I woke I felt that I had intruded on them, that I had no right to see, and scolded myself that it was just a dream and that it meant nothing. It was hard for me to see Jacob taken up with someone else, I could admit that at least to myself, I loved him too, and the whole triangle affair had torn me apart inside. I had often wished for two parallel universes so I could love both my men as they deserved.

But with Edward on this earth, there was no competition. I felt comfortable, warm and cosy in Jacob's arms, but Edward's lifted me up to a different realm, somewhere where I felt my senses take over, where I need not say one word, somewhere where to look at his face was all the sustenance I needed. I felt more revived from one look from Edward than from a day spent in Jacob's arms. Jacob was my hero - the man who brought me back to life, but Edward was my soul mate - the one whom without there was no life. The coin had never been tossed, I knew the decision before it was asked of me. Edward, always Edward.

As I lay in the dark, beside his still form, which I knew to be aware of my wakening but giving me those moments I needed to come around, he was always there, my protector. I just hoped our plans would work out the way we hoped, that we'd have everything tied up before the Volturi decided to step in.

I hoped in vain.

*******************************

Chapter 8 - Forfeit

Edward was gone in the morning, and I hadn't heard him leave. I was confused by that momentarily but put myself through the human paces, "He has a life, something must have come up, maybe he forgot to do something..." and on and on.

I had breakfast with Charlie, which was usually a silent affair but this morning I thought I'd do some ground work for one of our many plans.

"Have you ever been to Europe?" I asked him, repeating the question when he eventually registered I was speaking to him.

"Uh...no, never" Charlie looked back to his paper.

"Oh its just I've been thinking about applying to some colleges there..."

Charlie made agreeable noises but then his head snapped up and he said, "Repeat that please"

I did and he looked like he was about to burst a gasket.

"Dad..." I tried to diffuse the situation immediately, "I'm only thinking about it, nothing that we can't discuss, it'd be a good opportunity and I've heard they take late applications so it wouldn't hurt to apply... Just to see...it'd be great, y'know, to see Europe.." I mumbled the last bit, Charlie was just shaking his head very deliberately.

"This is something Edward is thinking about too?" He asked, starting to nod sharply like he did when he thought he had something all worked out, "That boy put you up to this? Are you trying to give me a heart attack and kill me, Bella? First you wanna get married, like some fool kid and now you expect me to wave you off at the airport, to go off and live in Europe!?"

"Dad, I'm eighteen!"

"Oh yeah that old argument again" He pointed at me, taking a big gasp of breath through his nose, "I forbid it"

"We'll talk about this later" I said, grabbing my jacket and heading for the door.

"There is nothing to talk about, Isabella Swan!" Charlie shouted after me.

I ran to my truck and swung myself into the familiar seat, driving into Edward's drive before I knew it. He was waiting at the door, at first I didn't see it, but as I approached him I realised his face had an expression on it I had never seen before.

Fear.

"What is it?" I grabbed him by the arm, "What? Did Alice see something?"

He nodded, "She saw Caius...here"

"When?" I wanted to scream, I wanted to have a tantrum, I had a plan and this was NOT supposed to happen. Those damn Volturi, with their god complexes - who did they think they were? The Cullens, The Swans, we were good people. They should just back off and leave us alone.

I suddenly realised I'd been thinking out loud, but I didn't care, I saw Carlisle coming down the steps to where we stood and I ran into his arms, "I'm so tired" I protested, "I can't take this, all these vampires trying to kill me, I can't take it"

I sank then, and Carlisle picked me up and passed me to Edward who carried me into the house.

I slept and slept, and when I woke it was already evening. Edward was sitting his chair, and I was lying in the bed across from him. He was pretending to read "Dr Zhivago" again, but I could tell he was faking it, his eyes boring into the page instead of flitting across it. He flicked those honey eyes up then, and caught my gaze, which I didn't drop but called his name softly, "Edward..."

He was beside me in an instant, "This is all my fault, I should never have left you in the first place...I _hate_ myself for that, every day, if I'd just stayed even alone and let the others go, the Volturi, everything would be different"

"You don't know that Edward" I said, touching his ice cold cheek and tracing his jaw softly, "I'm sorry for my tantrums, I need to grow up"

"Its hardly immature now Bella, to be frightened of death by evil vampire"

"Well," I tried to laugh, "I would much prefer death by friendly sexy vampire" I lifted myself up to kiss his luscious mouth, entwining my arms around his head to draw him close, a move which in the past would have had him backflip away from me but now encouraged him. He lay close into me and we spent some time having a silent conversation as only we did, staring into each others eyes.

There was a knock at the door.

"Come in" Edward said springing to stand at the other end of the room.

Alice and Jasper entered, "Hi Bella" Jasper said, "heard the news?"

"Yep' I admitted

"Fun times ahead" Jasper leaned his long frame against the wall and picked a cd out at random, made a face and popped it back in to its position, "weird taste in music Ed."

Edward didn't seem to hear him, but turned to Alice and began the surreal conversation that involved no dialogue. His face, already pale, seemed to pale even more and he looked furious. She shook her head and beseeched him with her eyes and he nodded, seeming to resign himself to the vision she had shown him.

"What is it!?" I demanded, slapping the bed.

Alice turned to me and smiled, "We'll have to fight Bella, and we will win, but for that prize we will lose more than we can ever replace"

" Who? Who do we lose?" I couldn't hear myself for the sound of my own heartbeat.

"I don't know" Alice wasn't lying, I could tell, "I only know we lose someone"

**********************************

Chapter 9 - Trials

Jacob had been told. Carlisle had advised him to take Bronte away until all was over and done but neither of them would accept that option.

Bronte spoke to us, her wide eyes looking at us each in turn, "I won't go" She stated, "it may be selfish, but I need you - the Cullens - more than you need me, I don't want to be the only one, and I refuse to become a monster... I refuse"

Jacob agreed, he would stay and defend the Cullens, and me, for Bronte. I felt a twinge of something when he said that, loss? Regret? Jealousy? No surely I was not like Rosalie, Surely I could be happy Jacob was in love, and not with me! I thought about it long and hard and came to the conclusion that it wasn't jealousy that I felt, it was loss, I had lost Jacob as my best friend and that was, as it always had been, hard to deal with. I caught his eye then, and he grinned at me, one of his enormous arms stretched across Bronte's tiny shoulders, stretched back in the couch he looked completely at home in the house of his former enemies. I suppressed a giggle, "Who'd a thunk it?" I said to nobody in particular.

Edward was pacing up and down watching Alice like a hawk, waiting for her vision to alter or best case scenario disappear altogether. I saw him suddenly change the direction of his concentration to the front door and he turned to Jacob and said, "Expecting someone?"

Jacob looked confused but then we heard it, the howling.

It was the wolf pack, Jacob's brothers in lupine form, Sam, Paul, Jared, Embry and little Quil.

Jacob stood and phased, it was an impressive sight, he seemed to shake the wolf in him out, like a wet dog, faster and faster until the inner took over. It wasn't horrible to see, quite the opposite, I found it quite hypnotic. With a long stretch, Jacob's hind legs nearly reaching the roof, he loped across the room and out the door which Carlisle held open for him. Everyone in the room exhaled, "Those dogs stink!" Rosalie said as she flounced out of the room, taking Emmett with her by the collar.

Edward looked at me, and I looked at him.

Here we were, all our plans asunder, everything up in the air, but still no doubt in our minds. Till death do us part.

Edward could hear the wolves thinking and relayed to me what they were saying, "They don't, they won't let Jacob do this, they say he is crazy to defend a bloodsucker, but Embry is feeling Jacob's pain at the thought of losing Bronte now, he is saying he can't choose his mate. Sam seems the most indignant but even he can feel Jacob's thoughts and feelings, so its hard for him to say what he is saying. Jacob is saying he will leave the Wolf pack, become a loner, he has no problem doing that to protect the pack, but Sam is thinking that would be the worst outcome. They are all thinking as one now, Bronte and we, the Cullens including you Bella, will be protected by the Wolf Pack..."

I wasn't sure how I felt about that, considering Alice's premonition, I wanted as few people involved in this fray as possible. The thoughts of little Quil being injured, or lost... I shook the image away.

Edward wanted me to have as normal a life as possible, so even with this battle ahead he decided to take me to the movies, as if all was normal in our teen-dom. He liked to take me to see old movies, especially the silent comedies, and I got the impression Edward felt refreshed after connecting with his human self, even on such a small level. He would bang his leg, and roar laughing at the antics on screen, and I couldn't but join in. Tonight we went to see Charlie Chaplin in The Kid. As the opening titles flashed I became acutely aware of the ancient soul who sat grasping my hand. The movie we watched had been made in 1921, and if there was no such thing as Vampires, he would have been buried for 3 years by the time people got to see it for the first time. I looked at the screen and looked at the clothes, the cars, the houses. The world was such a different place and this love of my life had seen it all. For the first time I realised we had never talked about that side of things, Edward had seen so much...and had been young throughout. My mind flipped through images of him, did he fight in world war two? Vietnam? Was he at Woodstock? Where was he when JFK was shot? All the iconic eras, ones that I heard my parents talk about, Edward could talk about them too. I couldn't wait for the movie to end to ask him.

The film was great, until I met Edward I had never seen an old movie, let alone a silent one! The story played through, a tramp finds a baby and brings it up, while its mother, regretting the decision, tries to find her son. There is a scene in the movie where the child is being taken away and chaplin runs after the truck. I was caught by an unexpected overwhelming memory of running after Edward in the forest when he left. I suddenly felt that awful lump in my throat and knew I was going to cry. I flicked a look at Edward beside and me and he squeezed my hand, obviously thinking my slipping tears were due to the sad story. But when the movie was over, and I still sat sobbing in my seat, unable to talk while he begged me to tell him what was the matter, I realised I had never really got it off my chest how much I had suffered. Edward had seen Jacob's memories, and so I knew he knew, and therefore I never talked about it. I never opened up. I had pushed my hurt away and now it was overflowing into the empty cinema.

"Bella, please, what is it? Was it the movie?"

"No..." I shook my head, "Its nothing, its silly..."

"It couldn't be silly... Bella look at you, you are really upset, did I say something?"

"No, no" I hugged him close, "Its just seeing the movie, it just upset me"

"Why Bella? What is it? Talk to me Bella please"

I didn't want to hurt him, I didn't want to fill his head with my thoughts, he had enough in there already. I didn't want to drag up events of a year ago.

"It...the movie...it reminded me of something really sad" I offered

I saw in his face that he knew why I was crying, "When I left..."

I nodded.

Edward looked desolate, "I will never leave you again, Bella"

"Edward. You had said that before. When James..."

"I know..." He dropped his head into his hands, "I'm sorry..." was all he could say,

"I don't want to resurrect it Edward" I said, "I didn't expect to get upset over it, I was grand but then...oh that movie! It was just so heartbreaking and I suppose my brain, or body or whatever, recognized the feeling... maybe... but it is just one set of tears, and I think they've cried themselves out now..." I grinned sadly.

With that he picked me up like I was a small child and carried me out of the cinema, holding me as tightly as he could without hurting me. My head nestled under his chin and I held him like I would never let go.

We drove home.

On the way I tried to lighten the air, "Edward, Were you in Vietnam?" I asked

He looked at me like I was mad, "Where did that come from?"

"I dunno, I just thought there that you must have been, if you were in high school I mean, wouldn't you have been drafted?"

"Yeah..."

"You were?"

"Eh yeah, me and Emmet were there for a couple of years"

"Oh my God" I couldn't believe it.

"It was a difficult time, I don't like to talk about it but I'm sure you can imagine, we needed to be quite restrained"

"Oh...did you...?"

"No, I hadn't killed anyone in a long time, so I wasn't going to start there of all places"

"Edward thats amazing, was it awful?"

"For humans it was, hell, the worst place you could imagine, but I suppose Emmett and I got off lightly, we weren't harmed at all"

"Obviously..."

"No, I mean our unit... We never took fire, I suppose having vampires on your side there is a positive thing!"

"Thats amazing! I can't believe you were there..."

"Yeah, other platoons would rub us on the shoulder or forehead for luck, you know because we always came home without a scratch...they weren't so lucky..." He look sad, "We lived in a nice town then, and like Forks the population was small, we made it our business to get all those boys back home...having a...mission...made it easier to resist.. uh...temptation..."

"That is very noble" I said proudly, rubbing his forehead, "I could do with some luck!"

Edward laughed, that husky throaty chuckle I loved, "I think in this situation that is what will get us through!"

Chapter 10 - Assurance

"Were you at Woodstock, Edward?" I asked that night, after saying goodnight to Charlie and sitting in my room with the window open, seconds feeling like hours, until Edward appeared with one bound into the room.

He burst out laughing, "Yes!" and then he told me all about it, how they had allowed the sun to shine on their faces that day for a while and I roared laughing when he imitated the hippies "Hey man...psychedelic skin dude"

I slept in his arms as I always did and woke to his kisses on my eyelids, soft and cold. I could not live without that first waking moment. It would be the one thing I knew I would long for when I no longer slept, when my life was eternal night.

Alice rang us then, Caius was leaving Italy, he would be in Forks in two days. She suspected he was acting alone as there were no other Volturi with him but she couldn't be sure.

Edward dismissed the possible fight, "Its one vampire" he said, "There are now 8 of us..."

Bronte was fitting in well with the Cullens, although her newborn status was proving interesting, she had an amazing gift of thought transference, but also was unusually self disciplined, Carlisle was positive that was a secondary benefit of her ability to 'spike'.

She would often start wailing, crying without tears, if a particularly attractive human was in her nose range and she would cling to whoever she was with to stay away from losing control. I never went anywhere with her alone, and she tried to always stay down wind of me. I trusted Bronte though, more than she trusted herself and we concocted somewhat of a friendship if even from opposite ends of the room.

The police search for her body, after the ransacked house and her mothers corpse were discovered had long ceased and her posters were fading on lamp posts around the town. Bronte's new form had changed her features sufficiently to be unrecognized as the missing girl and she was beginning to feel more confident about being seen with Jacob Black. Meeting Charlie, who had been well aware of the case, confirmed the dust had settled, and so Bronte, though continuing to live with the Cullens, became free to hang around in town, and was even accepted in La Push. Wrinkled noses aside, she was Jacob's mate and that was enough to ensure her the full protection of the pack.

I wanted to be Bronte's friend. I jumped at the opportunity to hang out, feeling the need to have her on my side, gain some knowledge into those newborn days, I was hoping to ask her about the pain, the coward in me had felt it before but not for long, I wanted to gain inside knowledge. More than anything I hoped she would tell me she was glad to be a vampire.

We were walking on La Push beach, while Jacob had stuff to do, and it was a silent companion that I strolled with. I completely trusted Bronte but Jacob had sent Seth to ensure she kept her teeth to herself and he wandered behind us, in his wolf form. We walked without talking. I had tried to chit chat but nothing seemed to evoke conversation, so I allowed my chatter to dwindle into a comfortable silence.

Bronte came to a slow stop and turned to allow the ocean spray refresh her face, she took a deep breath, "I miss it...breathing, I mean"

I half laughed, "Huh?"

She turned to me, an impatient look on her face, "I miss breathing Bella, I miss the feeling of a long inhale of fresh air..." She kicked at the stones that were imbedded in the sand.

I frowned, then smiled, unsure what to say. Bronte's face went stiff and out of the blue she said, "He still loves you, you know"

I gasped. My hand flying to my chest with surprise, "What? Who? What do you... What?" I babbled.

"Oh blah blah" Bronte said cattily, "I don't care, I mean he loves me more, loves me forever you know, we're soul mates, but I can see it when he talks about you, or when you talk to him...he _loves_ you"

"Jacob?" I wanted to run away, this conversation was not one I had envisioned, or ever wanted, to be having with Bronte, I decided to play dumb, "What are you talking about? He loves you alone of course!"

"Ah-ah!" Bronte said, with a schoolteacher inflection, "Lets not pretend... Jacob still loves you, he just loves me more... I don't need to read minds to know it, I know it because I know _him_. He is a big old softy, and his eyes tell all his stories... When he hears your name his eyes scream it, when he sees you they light up and when Edward touches you he cannot help but look away...it is possible to love two people Bella, _you_ should know that..."

I realised Bronte had been filled in on the events of the past few years. I nodded, wishing the conversation was over.

She continued, "I'm not jealous Bella, but I'm also not stupid, I need Jacob a hell of a lot more than you need Edward, without him I exist alone with an eternal day ahead of me and no respite from pain...at least, should something happen to Edward, you would eventually die, and its not likely that something should happen to him is it?"

I looked at her, "I'm sorry Bronte but I don't know what you want me to say..."

Bronte took my arm, "I suppose I'm looking for reassurance Bella, that Jacob will survive this battle, and above all I suppose I'm looking for reassurance that if something should happen to Edward, that you won't...turn to Jacob...again..."

I shook my head but resolved not to even answer that, it was a moot point, if something happened to take Edward from me, I would follow, even into the pits of hell.

********************

Chapter 11 - Chase

It was hard to go about my normal routine with such a heavy load on my shoulders. Yet again my very existence was putting the Cullens in danger. They had existed for a hundred years with no trouble, and within two years of meeting me they were fighting off vampire after vampire. Forced to kill their own kind to protect a human.

Edward remained quietly tortured about the bind he felt he had put me in. Become a vampire or die was the main message of the Volturi, and, at this time, neither seemed to fit. We had a plan, the immortal life was on hold, while we played out our teen romance and escaped together with my parents hearts intact.

I would often waken in the middle of the night, and without him realizing, listen to him writing his journal with an angry pen. He didn't want to kill me, to take my life and replace it with an immortal existence, yet he didn't want anyone else to do it - even without his gift I could read his mind. He felt we were being pushed into doing things the Volturi's way, and neither of us liked a bully.

We would find a way.

We often took a drive to a remote place, and Edward would run us to the top of a tree where we would sit, and contemplate each other for a while.

"Bella, are you afraid?" Edward asked me, swinging himself down to rest beside me on a massive gnarled limb of a huge spruce tree.

"Of the Volturi? Yeah I am totally, but what can I do? They'll come anyway..."

"I'll protect you"

"Yeah, but Edward protect me from what? I mean I want this, I want to be with you, so why are we stalling, couldn't we just do something now, say we want to go to Europe for the summer or something"

"Charlie would never allow it." Edward had leaned so far forward we were face to face, his strength and acrobatics still made my pulse run fast.

"Better than a vampire battle in his kitchen"

Edward smiled, his perfect teeth creasing his bottom lip, "I suppose that is true"

Then suddenly his brow furrowed and his eyes widened, "There is someone here, Bella, I can hear them"

I lifted myself slowly to a sit, straining my ears as if I would hear too, but watching Edward's face as he concluded who he was listening to.

"Caius" He said, throwing me onto his back and telling me to hold on tight.

He took off through the trees like a monkey, swinging tree to tree with amazing speed.

"Does he know we are here?" I shouted into Edward's ear.

"He is chasing us Bella" He answered, and I turned my head to see Caius, a hooded figure, chasing us as we flew on. Up to the top of the tree, and Edward began to jump from tree top to tree top. Like a weird game of chess, we jumped forward and each treetop was replaced with Caius. He was close enough now that I could see his fiery red eyes, with each jump in our wake he could smell me stronger and I could see his thirst for my blood grew more and more.

The trees shook and swayed with each jump and I began to lose confidence. My fears took over and I started to lose my breath.

"Edward" I shouted, "I can't breathe"

With that Edward made a huge leap across the river and began to run through the fields at a faster speed than I had ever experienced so far. I felt myself slipping into unconsciousness, the hyperventilation taking its toll, and just before I passed out I felt Edward tighten his grip on me, shouting "Caius No!"

****************************

Chapter 12 - Decision

I woke to see Edward's face three feet from mine and I was so relieved. I was not dead, I was not a vampire (although that was a little disappointing too) and I was in his bedroom.

I woke to hear shouting and snarling from the room below and looked quizzically at Edward, "What happened?"

"He nearly had us Bella!" He said, pacing the room, "Carlisle is talking him down now, he was so thirsty he had lost control...he nearly had us"

"How did we get here?"

"Just in time, we came in the window downstairs, they were all ready, I ran you up here and the rest took on Caius"

"They won't kill him?" I wasn't sure if I hoped for a yes or a no on that question.

"No, not yet... Carlisle will take him hunting first when he has calmed down, then we hope to reason with him and see what he has come here for, its unlikely the battle Alice saw is us against Caius on his own..."

I nodded, feeling strangely overwhelmed and surreal, and promptly fell back asleep.

I woke to Alice stroking my hair, "Hi Bella" She said in her usual chirpy voice, but I could sense there was pain behind it. Her gift was such a burden.

"Alice..." I sat up pushing my hair out of my face into a barrette, "Where is Edward?"

"Downstairs, don't worry Bella, everything is fine... He is with Carlisle, they are talking with Caius"

I stood out of the bed as if to go downstairs, "I want to see Caius"

Alice closed her eyes and then I heard Edward shout "Alice don't let her, I'm coming" from the end of the stairs. He took the staircase in one bound and strolled across to me as if nothing was wrong.

"Edward I want to hear, I don't want to be up here" I demanded, "Its me you are all talking about anyway"

Esme appeared in the door way, Edward looked up at her and she nodded.

"Come on Bella" She said holding out her hand, and then looking at Edward she said, "What is he going to do Edward? There are 8 of us and 1 of him"

I took Esme's hand and she led me down the stairs where Caius stood in a corner, like the grim reaper of the movies. I felt a terror I had not felt since James tricked me to the ballet studio and I hoped he would not sense it.

"Ah!" he exclaimed, "She fears me"

"No, I don't" I shouted sticking my chin in the air and bracing my shoulders, "You don't scare me, you are just a bully"

"A very tired bully at that!" Caius said mocking me and he crossed the room, to take a closer look at me as if I was an animal in a zoo, "That little run your boyfriend gave me across the trees wore me out! I usually never have to chase my prey"

"Bella is not your prey" Edward said standing in front of me, "She is nothing to you"

Caius laughed, "Ah but my dear boy she is something to me, something to all of us, a problem shall we say, a dilemma," he crossed the room and looked out the window, continuing to speak," This lovely human may be a nice pet for the moment, I can see her appeal certainly, but what happens when lover-boy breaks her heart? I cannot imagine the daughter of the chief of police will be crying anything but Vampire! Can you?" He turned to Carlisle, "Can you?"

Carlisle spoke, his tone calm and conclusive, "Bella will be joining us in immortality, Caius, you know that"

"Ah but do I?" Caius turned to look out of the window again, "Surely, having been granted a pardon, that would have been first on the schedule? Hmm-mm?" He directed the question to Edward.

"We want to make sure there are no problems for...our kind...when Bella changes" Edward said with confidence, "We want as little attention as possible, as you have pointed out, Caius, Bella's father is the chief of police, we really don't think he would be satisfied with letting the untimely death of his only daughter go without tearing the town, and us, apart for information. That would be bad for everyone."

"I agree" said Caius, "and that is why I am here"

Everyone seemed to hold their breath. Caius looked from person to person and then at me. He held my gaze while he spoke, "We have decided that this little relationship is not good for us, The Volturi. As you have correctly pointed out, Bella is the daughter of the chief of police, and if she was to be murdered, he would not stop until he found out who did it. So, we have a problem, either way he will be looking at all of us closely, perhaps even discovering that Bella took a little trip to Voltera and well...we don't want American FBI on our doorstep. We have decided that in order to protect ourselves, we must rid the world of everything and everyone that dear little Bella here has ever touched...her mother, her father, her friends, especially those disgusting wolves, and of course...the fools who brought her into this ring of fire...You all here, the _Cullen_ family...As we speak the Volturi are making their way here, with every family and nomad they can find, and at the end you will _all_ be destroyed"

********************************

Chapter 12 - Fear

I heard a high pitched noise that escalated into my eardrums, spinning through my brain. I clasped my hands over my ears but it continued and then I realised, cliched as it may sound, that it was a scream and it was coming from my own throat.

Edward clutched me to him, his cold skin feeling soothing against my raging brow. Caius had said what he had come to say and then stood very silently as the family of vampires I loved so much stared at him, some hissing with anger, some quietly resolved to their fate.

"We'll fight you" Edward spat, "Some of you will die too"

Caius shook his head carefully and deliberately, "Legend has told, for many years, of ways to kill the Immortals like us, you've heard them all, a stake through the heart, drowning, etcetera etcetera...but of course all prove futile to the real thing, as many of us can attest" He walked toward the group, dropping his voice to a hushed whisper, "Until now, Aro has been looking for many years for the grave of a Vampire hunter who successfully killed his first wife without even breaking a sweat, and a couple of weeks ago he found it" He turned to Alice, "I'm surprised you don't know about this, my dear, with that clever little ability of yours!"

Alice looked uncomfortable, "I couldn't make it out..." She turned into Jaspers protective embrace, and he hissed at the Volturo, "Get out of here before we kill you ourselves"

Caius threw his head back and laughed, "You can't!" He exclaimed, "I'd kill you first" and from his pocket he took a small silver box, and opened it, taking from it a small wooden stake, "this is Khosrau's cross, a stake made from the wood taken from the cross of Jesus Christ..."

The room fell silent. I could hear my own heartbeat in my head, my fear overwhelming me.

"This wooden stake is the only thing that can kill a vampire completely, one blow to a vampire and they cease to be, finally at rest which I know many of you have often wished you could be..." he looked directly at Rosalie. She stepped forward "There are 8 of us here, Caius, we could take that little stake off you now and kill you with it, what's stopping us?"

"Try it" Caius said, his eyes glinting.

"Rosalie!" Emmet commanded, "Don't!" He moved forward and took her by the arm, she resisted but then gave in, her beautiful face falling as she moved back to his side.

"I do not doubt that you could disarm me, but all this stake needs is one scratch, and who would it be dead on the floor?" Caius smirked, "Alice? Emmet? Newborn Bronte - the wolf lover? Which of you is the least precious? Send them forward to take me on"

No-one moved, Carlisle moved his arm protectively across his family as he moved forward.

"Leave Caius" He ordered.

Caius did as he was told. Like a flash he was gone, running across the trees as he had come, and the silence from the forest felt foreboding.

I slumped in Edward's arms, "This is insane" I whimpered, "I can't take this, its a nightmare, I can't be here, its too much"

"Bella" He assured into my ear, "I am here, we will be fine"

I closed my eyes tight, and wished and wished that what he said would be true.

*****************************

Chapter 13 - Love

"Don't even think of it" Edward suddenly snarled at Rosalie, as we all sat in silence.

She snapped her head up sharply, pleading with her eyes to keep her thoughts to himself.

Emmet looked at Edward, and Edward nodded.

Emmet exploded, "Would you? Rosalie! You'd leave me here, you'd go? What the..."

"It just came into my head, I wasn't going to do it"

"PROMISE ME YOU WON'T GO!" Emmet was so angry, I looked at Edward and whispered for him to fill me in on what this was about, "Where was she going?"

Edward leaned down to whisper, "Rosalie was thinking that dying wouldn't be so bad"

I was so shocked I couldn't think straight, "She would do that?" I asked, "She would kill herself to save everyone? Even me?"

"No, not now...but it crossed her mind, living forever can be tougher on some but she wouldn't leave Emmett, I don't think she could"

I felt relieved, but the confirmation that eternal life was not the picnic it seemed struck me like an open hand across the face. I wanted to be with Edward, I wanted to be me, now, with Edward, but the prospect of living forever and ever was growing more unwelcome in my mind.

Emmett was still hopping from foot to foot while Rosalie stood with her hands on her hips and a look of "Gimme a break" on her face, "I'm not putting up with this Em,"She said, "I had a stupid thought, _freak-boy_ over there heard it, and now you're going nuts over something that I thought for a millisecond - Build a bridge babe, and GET OVER IT"

Edward stole me from the room just in time before Emmett got even more mad, and took me into the kitchen where Esme and Carlisle were drawing out a plan. Alice was having visions, but they kept changing, subjective as they were, and so she was exhausted. Jasper was holding her hand and he looked up to catch Edward's eye and warn him to avoid getting into a questions and answers with her.

"Where do we stand?" Edward asked Carlisle.

Esme handed me a drink of water and a sandwich, "You need to eat" She said smiling and hugging me with her free arm.

I smiled pathetically, the root of all this families problems. I'm sure most of them wished I would just disappear.

Carlisle showed Edward the plans he had drawn up, "The stake won't affect the werewolves" He promised, "so we have that on our side, I know Jacob is here for us and I presume the others will fight for him too, I hate asking them but well, such a lot is at stake"

Edward looked at me. I wanted to shout "Run lets run away" but I knew it was pointless, there was nowhere to run, nowhere to hide. We would stay, they would come and we would fight. Alice's words rang in my ears, "We would lose more than we could replace"

I felt a selfish feeling creep up me, "As long as its not Edward...", but I shook it off.

I attempted eating the sandwich but it felt ridiculous in my mouth. My body felt so tense, as if I would suddenly turn inside out, adrenalin I supposed.

"Bella will stay in La Push" I heard Carlisle say, and Edward agreed.

"No!" I shouted, "I want to fight, I have to fight, its my fight"

Edward's eyes flashed, "No way, Bella you will stay behind, you will be a hindrance"

I nodded but resolved that I would not stay behind, I would fight, even if I died, I would not let my true love fight alone.

"They're here" Alice said, "They are in the meadow..."

******************************

Chapter 14

I stood downwind as they collected themselves on the meadow. I had been brought to La Push, after resolving myself to letting Edward go, staring at his golden brown eyes for almost an hour, kissing his cold, cold mouth for perhaps the last time, I sat in Billy blacks kitchen crying into my hands. The wolves had dispatched to fight alongside the vampires, to protect Bronte and Jacob of course, but also the family that had now become their friends.

After an hour there I had escaped to the meadow, stealing my own motorbike from the garage, and going as fast as I could. I arrived to see the battle begin, with Carlisle and Aro speaking together in the middle of the meadow. There was a large bonfire blazing in the open, built in advance to seal the fate of any Vampire who met their match. Behind Carlisle my beloved Cullens stood, and Jacob in his wolf form standing in front of Bronte who was hissing and ready for a fight, stronger than anyone in her newborn state. The wolf pack stood in front of those two, baring their teeth and snarling, ready for the brawl. Edward stood just behind Carlisle, looking so young all of a sudden, with his red brown hair whipping in the wind and the rain smashing against his desolate face. He was not defeated yet, though I could see his bravery simmer under his black eyes.

Behind Aro stood a collection of mismatched Vampires. Some I recognized as Volturi, some I could see were nomads, all with glowing red eyes and bared teeth.

It was deathly quiet then, all but for the wind and the rain.

An eery wail escaped Aro's lips and he threw himself at Carlisle, who jumped over him and twisting in the air escaped the Khosrau's cross that Aro stabbed at him. Carlisle kicked Aro in the face as he landed, sending the Volturo flying across the field and into a great boulder which smashed into pieces on impact.

Esme screamed and vaulted across the sky, to where the other Vampires were running into battle. She was followed by the rest of her family and the battle began.

I watched Edward, making his way through the teaming vampire crowd, snapping necks, biting throats out, punching holes in his own kind. His face was contorted with fury, he was fighting no holds barred. He was followed closely by Alice and Jasper, Alice was guiding her brother and her husband through the fray, telling them each opponents moves before it happened, allowing them to win every one on one. I felt my confidence in him surge, he would come back to me, I knew his promise was true.

Aro had reappeared, stake in hand, to take on Carlisle who was now surrounded by the wolf pack. Jacob nudged Bronte into the middle with Carlisle and snarling he moved toward Aro.

"Here doggy doggy" Aro shrieked laughing, beckoning Jacob like a master to a pup. Jacob roared, his shaggy hair shaking with the force of his lungs, his lips stretched over massive fangs, I could see his heart beating in his neck as he lunged at Aro, but the volturi leader sprang high into the air and crashed down on Jacob's back with a smash. Bronte wailed and ran into the thick of the fray, her blond hair whipping about her head as she made a grab at Aros arm. She missed and before she could attempt another grab, Jacob knocked her out of line of the stake which Aro swiped her way. The grass was, as always, wet from rain and so Bronte slid like an ice-skater across the field. She came face to face with a large vampire from the other fight and without even thinking about it, Bronte attacked him. He seemed to stand still, allowing her to dismember him piece by piece. She threw him on the fire and turned back to the battle, I could see fear and disgust cross her large elfin eyes. I knew she had used her gift to control her enemy and it had served her well, but I imagined the human side of Bronte would find revulsion in her actions even though they saved her.

She crossed the battle field in moments and stood by Jacob again. He roared at her, unable to tell her to get back in words but his meaning was clear, but she defied him, ignored his eyes pleading look. They stood together for a moment, their love swirling around them like an invisible shield, then it broke away and she had one fleeting moment to mouth "I love you" before throwing herself alongside him into the fighting again.

The sides began to even out, Alices gift working on her side to work through the enemy fighters, killing them as easily as snapping a twig with their moves known. Emmett and Rosalie were like one fighter, moving with precision through the battle, seeking out Jane knowing that to disable her would be half the battle. Jacob and Bronte followed them. Janes ability to inflict the illusion of pain on others gave her immediate victory and it had been planned to see if Bronte could influence Jane while the others took her out. Carlisle, Esme and Jasper surrounded Aro, Jasper calming him as much as he could, hoping to get the upper hand leaving Carlisle to disable him quickly. If the stake was out of the picture the Cullens could win this fight.

I resisted the urge to run into the frey, telling myself that I would be a hindrance, and do more harm than good. My scent was not strong in this position and I had taken the precaution of wearing a combination of Jacobs and Edwards clothes. I remained unnoticed.

It happened so fast I could not believe my eyes. Aro, who one minute was in the corner of the field surrounded by Carlisle, Esme and Jasper, had leaped across the field in one second and now stood in front of Jane. Caius stood behind her. She had an intense look of concentration on her face and I saw Emmett bend in agony. Rosalie screamed and threw herself at Jane but a swift kick from Caius sent her flying to the end of the field. She lifted herself into a standing just in time to see Aro grab Emmett by the hair and plunge Khasrou's cross into his chest. Emmett looked shocked, but calm, as he fell onto his knees and then to the ground with an earth shattering thud.

The noise that came from Rosalie, on seeing her soul mate perish, was unearthly. It began as a moan, soft but solid like a slain deer and journeyed into a screech, the sound a comet might make as it plummets into a planet. I couldn't take her expression, it was too painful to watch her as she took a huge leap across the battle, her face contorted, pain and anguish pouring out of her. She stood where Emmett lay, ignoring the cruel laughter from Aro, and threw her arms out by her sides. She could not stand, she could not bend, her body seemed devoid of natural movement and she rocked from foot to foot, the sounds she made bringing the battlefield to a stop, all heads turned to see her.

Edward roared, "No!" and sprang to her side, dropping to his knees where Emmett lay and he pulled his brother into his arms, disbelief contorting his beautiful face. I longed to go to him but knew I could not show myself.

Rosalie swayed and fell to her knees, her arms splayed in prostration to her pain. She roared his name, grabbed his body from Edward and shook it, desperate to revive him, in vain. Emmet was dead.

Grief shook me, but I was overcome with a sense of dread for Edward. If Emmet could be killed, Edward could be killed. I would not let that happen and I slipped my hand into my pocket, curling my fingers around my insurance - the object I had brought that would ensure I would not be left alone on this earth. I would not allow it. Edward would not die. And if he did, I would go with him.

**************************

Chapter 15 - Third wife

I saw Alec run to Janes side, he had been fighting Sam and Embry who had nearly got the better of him, but now he stood with his sister to face Rosalie and her family. I had never seen such anger in the Cullens, even Carlisle was beyond speaking, his nostrils flared and his eyes were wide. Esme was roaring, her lips stretched over her sharp teeth.

There was a momentary standoff and then I saw Rosalie, like a flash, just swoop off and grab Jane by the head. Janes powers were nothing to the pain of losing Emmett, and Rosalie could defy them. With one clean twist, Rosalie ripped Janes head from her shoulders, and tossed it across the field into the fire. Jasper grabbed the headless corpse and launched it at Aro, who looked shocked at the outcome.

"Aro!" Rosalie screamed at the Volturi leader, "You are next!"

Aro smirked, "Come get me!"

Carlisle put his hand across and took Rosalies, whose face was glistening in the sunrays that had burst through the clouds. All the Vampires glittered, and then I plucked up the courage to look upon Emmett as he lay dead in the field. He was not sparkling, his effervensence was gone, and I missed him so much my guts felt like they would twist. I covered my face with my hands and cried.

I wished I could hear what they were saying, the Cullens were communicating with each other but I couldn't make it out. Carlisle was not letting Rosalie attack Aro, I could see her strain against his grip, she had nothing to lose.

Esme had approached Emmetts body and was tenderly lifting it to take it to the edge of the field, when she was suddenly attacked from behind by a tall dark vampire. Esme didn't even flinch, and with Emmett in her arms she attacked back, like a mother bear she roared, and the strength she found in her grief ripped through her attacker until he was helpless and headless on the ground. The fire welcomed him and Esme continued to carry her son across to where it was safe to lay him.

I flicked my eyes across to Edward in time to see him punch Alec in the head from behind as Jasper stood motionless in front. Alec was just about to attack Jasper in his hypnotised state when Edward flew in and with a punch knocked Alecs concentration long enough to allow Jasper regain his senses and rip into Alec, killing him as easily as a child with a spider. I found the process strangely intriguing, not gory or stomach turning at all, with each vampires headless limbless torso being thrown on the fire, I got closer to having Edward back, and that was the only outcome I knew I could live with.

I surveyed the field, the sides had evened out, dead vampires burned in the pyre and now the Cullens were facing an equal battle, one on one.

Suddenly I felt eyes on me and I turned my head. Standing about fifteen feet to my right was one of the enemy vampires, a tall latina, and her eyes glowed red as fire and stared straight at me.

"What have we got here?" She swished a few paces closer.

I heard Edward shout my name, knowing he had heard the vampires thoughts and he sprinted across the field, his face wild with anger that I had endangered myself in this way. He grabbed me and shoved me behind him, hurting my arm as he did so, but I didn't care, I was determined to stand up and fight to the death if I had to.

"Leave her" He demanded but the smell of me was irrestible to the female and I got the impression she would rather have me as her last meal than not at all. She licked her lips and approached us slowly, like a lioness through the brush.

Edward completely lost it, the anger that I had defied my promise to stay safe and the thought of this vampire having her way turned his eyes blacker than I had ever seen and he launched himself at her, throwing her to the ground and biting a chunk out of her neck. She wailed but fought back, like two expert fighters they collided mid air and each punch was returned with an equal one. Then Bronte joined Edward and with two against one, the female was soon burning along with the rest.

Bronte stared at me after it was done, "You stupid girl!" She hissed, "You fool!"

I felt ridiculous. Bronte was right, what did I think coming here would have achieved. The realisation that protecting me was an extra burden that my friends didn't need was a hard one to take. I felt so angry with myself.

Just at that moment, as I came to this conlclusion, we were suddenly surrounded by vampires, all red eyes on me. The Cullens and the Wolf Pack ran between us and the battle moved over to where I stood in the trees. A dramatic fight broke out between the two sides again, but it was more aggressive this time, more heated - hunger was involved.

Edward fought like a lion, beating the enemy back with his ability to foresee their moves, it was an easy battle. He killed his opponent, tossing their limbs on the fire, and moved to the next. The odds swung in favor of the Cullens and there was hope. I thought about Alices premonition... losing Emmett was more than we could replace, I hoped it would remain at that. I looked around at the fighters, and I became aware that I could not see Aro. I searched for him in vain among the thrall, but he was nowhere to be seen.

I felt his breath on my shoulder and he suddenly pulled me back into the brush, without even an opportunity to scream I was alone with him in a clearing. He circled me, sniffing the air like an animal, licking his lips and disgusting me to the pit of my stomach.

"So the Cullens darling - Bella Swan..." Aro said, "Surprised to get to you so easily... I'd have thought Edward would have been right on me, I hoped he would... but it'll be more interesting this way, I'd be happier to kill him when he has lost everything... I'll enjoy seeing him destroyed before sending him to hell!"

"He'll kill you!" I shouted, knowing from my previous run in with James that any running or fighting back was futile. The object in my pocket would do nothing against a vampires strength.

Aro threw his head back and laughed. Two vampires I recognised stepped from the bushes, and I realised the battle on the field was only half the war. There were more of them, and it seemed hopeless.

Suddenly Edward was in the clearing, "Let her go!" He said to Aro, "I'll kill you!"

"You'll kill me? You? Thats hilarious!" Aro mocked, "I will do the killing, thank you, but I don't know who to kill first, Bella? or Edward? Maybe Edward, I do enjoy salty tears with my main course" he nodded at his men who lunged and grabbed Edward by the arms, pinning him to the spot, he struggled but could not free himself. His eyes became wild and he stared at me, I could see he was desperate.

Rosalie stepped into the clearing, "Aro... what do you think you're doing?"

"Ah Rosalie, the new widow... Come join us, I'm sure you will enjoy watching the girl die, after all she is the sole reason why your husband lies rotting in the field"

"Back off Aro" Rosalie barked, "Its you I'm after..."

Aro held up the Khosrau Cross in front of him like a shield, "Come get me!" He smirked.

Edward roared with frustration, "Rosalie get out of here!" he shouted but she shook her head.

"Rip him apart!" Aro commanded, stepping toward Edward.

I screamed and tried to shut out what was to happen, I could not watch it, I had to stop it.

I ran into the middle of the crowd, pulled the dagger from my pocket and pulled it sharply and deeply across my wrist. The blood bubbled from the vein and fell like heavy rain onto the leafy floor below me. I raised my arm, "Take ME!" I screamed, my voice echoed off the trees and thundered off the rocks.

The vampires that held Edward dropped their charge and lunged at me, Aro turned, eyes black, and he seemed to rise up taller than before. He jumped, knocking the two others out of the way and grabbing at me. Edward began to fight the others off, killing one and struggling with the next. Aro advanced closer to me but then he was suddenly knocked away by Rosalie, "Leave her!" She commanded and kicked Aro in the face sending him flying to the forest floor. He threw himself back onto his feet and sprang into the air, vicious arm to arm combat with Rosalie, swiping at her with the stake.

Rosalie seemed to have the fight under her control, but then I saw her eyes drift away for a moment to where Emmett lay in the field, her arms dropped by her sides and she stood quietly, calmly, allowing Aro to plunge the Khosrau cross into her chest. A fleeting smile crossed her lips before she fell at his feet like a rag doll. Rosalie was dead.

Aro turned his attention back to me, my arm covered in blood, my body was becoming weak and I thought I might fall. I called out to Edward weakly "The stake Edward...."

He tore the last vampire to shreds and turned to face Aro, who had realised the stake was still in Rosalies body, and was bending to retrieve it when Edward brought his knee up to Aros jaw and a fight between them ensued.

I was so weak, I could not breathe, I dropped to my knees and the world, my world, started to spin away from me, as if I was on a carosel, all the faces that I loved looking on as I was taken away.

Just before I disappeared forever, I saw a large wolf passing me, and launching itself across the path of Aros stake which was headed for Edward. I wished with my last breath that Edward would be saved and wished it at any cost. I let my eyes fall on the scene, Jacob fighting to save Edward and my heart begged the Gods to take him instead. Not Edward, not Edward. Take Jacob.

I had imagined death a thousand times, but I hadn't prepared myself for this, to see Edwards beautiful face ravaged with pain as I slipped away, I was not prepared for that pain which overtook the physical and screamed through my body searing me with anguish. I heard him roar my name, Bella, but I slipped away anyway... into a darkness which I recognised as Death.

**********************

Chapter 16 - Time

I became aware again. For a moment I contemplated whether this was heaven, or hell. An existence without Edward, even in paradise, would be the latter. My eyelids were so heavy, and so I deduced I must still be alive, but then that relief was surpassed by the realisation that the story was not over, I may have to suffer greatly still.

I heard voices, my fingers became aware of sensation, cold and steely skin and I knew I was in Edwards arms. I was in his arms and he was running. I tried to lift my chin and open my eyes, but I couldn't. I made out the voices as Carlisle, Alice and my beloved. I slipped into the black again.

The first sound I became aware of again was crying. Someone in the room with me was sobbing and suddenly I realised it was me. I knew in my heart the outcome of the battle, we had won, but as Alice had predicted we had lost. Emmett, Rosalie and my heart told me... Jacob.

I opened my eyes to see Edwards strong face, "Bella" he said, "I almost lost you" he pressed his lips against mine, "I almost..."

I nodded, and then though I dreaded the answer, "Jacob?" The guilt flooded through me, remembering my last wish.

Edward went very still, and then he started to tell me what had happened.

As he spoke I heard low heart wrenching howls echo through the woods and heavens above. Rain crashed against the window.

Edward began, "When you hurt yourself Bella, and everything got crazy, i thought I would go out of my mind, I couldn't get the focus to fight properly, I couldn't concentrate, everyones thoughts got so frantic and it was like a huge hurricane inside my head. Aro was putting up a good fight and then someone, I think Demetri, handed him the stake and I knew I was finished. Carlisle had you and Esme out of there, I had faith you were going to survive, even in an altered state, although I knew Carlisle would try everything first to save you. I prepared myself for death, almost willed it, I was glad that you would live at least. Then before I could even step forward Jacob was there, in between us, and he took Aro on, the stake doing nothing against his huge coat. He fought so hard... Bronte too... they overpowered Aro and the battle turned in our favor with him out of the picture. We cleaned up, killed the remaining vampires and thought it was done."

"It wasn't?"

"Bronte hadn't known about the burning, she didn't understand that a vampire can.. collect itself... and so she didn't dispose of Aro in the way that was needed to rid us of him completely"

"He came back?"

"Bella, it was so quick, none of us realised it until it was done, he just appeared and with... the dagger, he just plunged it into Jacobs back... we finished him then, but well Jacob was..."

"Where is he?" I roared jumping up, Edward held me back.

"He is downstairs Bella, with Bronte"

I ran, taking two steps at a time on the stairs and burst into the room. I saw him then, lying on the floor, Carlisle bent over him, Bronte at his feet. I was surprised to see him as a man, in my mind I was sure I would find a wolf lying there.

I stood for a minute, relief washing over me as I saw his huge chest rise and fall. Bronte curled around his feet. I spoke "Bronte"

She looked at me with hatred and scorn, "GET HER OUT!" She screamed, and promptly burst into tears.

Jacob opened his eyes, "Bella?" he said, his voice breaking into a whisper.

I ran to him, and Bronte responded by curling herself tighter around Jacobs body.

"Jacob, Jake... are you... what... how are you?"

His face was calm, and I could see the tiny beads of sweat pricking through his skin, he was so beautiful, "Not too bad" He said, and cracked a hint of a smile.

"Jacob, I'm so sorry, I never ever meant for any of this to happen, you are so precious to me and I'm so sorry, Jake... forgive me, I'm so so sorry..." I spoke frantically, needing him to stand up and bounce around like the guy I knew.

"Bella... friend..." Jacob whispered, "You were worth it, to see you here alive is all that fight was about, we won..."

"But you... are you... can you phase? Can you phase and fix yourself?"

Bronte began to wail a lament, rocking back and forth on her knees.

I looked at Carlisle. He shook his head slowly.

"Jacob, phase. Phase and heal yourself" I demanded

"I can't Bella" Jacob said softly, "I'm done for..."

"Done for..? No! What do you... what are you saying? You can't... you won't..."

Jacob lifted his huge hand and touched my face, "I love you Bells... you were worth the trouble"

I leaned in and kissed his forehead, "I won't hear of this dying talk!" I said smiling as best I could, holding back the tears, "I'm going to get Edward, he'll talk you round"

"See you Bells" Jacob whispered, dropping my hand.

I ran from the room, straight into Edwards arms and he held me tightly. As he stood with me there, Brontes soft voice struck up a lamenting cry, the wind grew wild outside and the howls of the wolves outside shook the ground.

"JACOB!" I screamed, and wrenching myself from Edwards embrace I ran back into the room. My friend lay where he had been, but his chest was still. I fell to my knees, agony ripped through me and I couldn't breathe. Edward lifted me into his arms and I let go, sobs shook me and I cried for my friend. The sacrifice he had made for me ultimately was one I would never forgive myself for.

I had wished he be taken instead of Edward, and I had got my wish. Even now as I sat curled up in Edwards arms, his cold lips finding mine in the dark, crying into his still chest, I was glad of it. Life without Jacob would be painful, and I would miss his face and his voice forever, but I could live that life. I could get through that pain. Losing Edward would have sent me straight to Hell, I would not survive it.

Thanks to Jacob I would not have to.

************************

Epilogue

I am 21 years old. I have been 21 for a while.

After everything that happened, and with Jacobs death, it was Charlie who thought it was actually a good idea that I take some time in Europe after all. Edward came with me, and we lived in Paris for a while, then in Rome. The Cullens had disbanded for a while after losing Rosalie and Emmett, and I think it was difficult for everyone to see me for a while. Alice and Jasper would visit, as would Esme and Carlisle but they weren't living as a family anymore. Bronte had been taken in by the Denali coven and was happy there for now. So it was Edward and I on our own for a few years, and he would put off and put off the ineveitable change that we both knew was coming.

We had agreed that there was no pressure now, with the Volturi practically nullified, and Edward had grown to trust himself more with me physically so I had the best of both worlds! So I was happy to exist with him for a couple more years, until the first wrinkle appeared anyway!

Then, fatefully, on a ski trip to Austria with Alice and Jasper, I had a bad accident, breaking my spine in a downhill run. I knew I was dying, and so did Edward and so with all his love he bit me. The pain was sweet, like a labour, to become reborn. I became intoxicated by it, and Edward held me close as I scrambled against the venom and then as I embraced it, drawing it further and further into my system and finally to my gently beating heart which slowed and stopped and turned to stone.

Edward kept me locked away in the first few months, and I was tortured, my thirst for human blood drove me close to wild. The claw marks in the walls of our bedroom are testimony to that. But we got through it. I remember the few cautious adventures into the world, and the temptations it brought. I found a way to get through it, I learned to hunt carefully with Edward and eventually after a few years I could function alone. Our new relationship was more powerful than before, Edward had a passion for me that he had never been able to properly express until now, and there was a few months that were mostly spent in our bedroom, Vampires don't need sleep. Eventually we moved to New York, blended in, Edward passing for the same age as me, and we enroled in college there. We got married in City Hall with Alice and Jasper as witnesses, which I knew hurt my father but it was the best thing at the time.

I lost Renee to cancer, and Charlie died an old man in Forks, constantly remarking how "I still looked like a kid to him", and a few years later we all moved back to Forks again. Enroling in the local high school, I passed for a senior, and my life with the Cullens began properly. I imagined all the things in my future, what I would see and what I would witness and I was excited.

I had lost a lot, and I had suffered things that belong in stories, but I had Edward. I had Edward, and he had me. That was how it should be, and how it would be always.

Always...


End file.
